Review of There Will Be Blood (2007) by Stevenf — 10 Apr 2013

The film answers the question of how far greed can drive a man to succeed, and how far the money and in this case, oil, truly dictates human behaviour. There Will Be Blood tells the ultimate disaster of one man's mission to be the best at what he does, and discard anything that gets in his way.

Daniel Day-Lewis puts in one of the greatest and most memorable performances of any actor or actress in the last few decades, his wispy and dominating voice truly capture the ruthless and maniacal means boiling beneath the surface, he is the 'oilman' Daniel Plainview, and he gets what he wants.

The film opens with very little dialogue, we watch Plainview, alone and down a well, digging for oil, his perseverance and can-do attitude are apparent as he breaks his leg in a fall, but manages to get out of the well and start over again.

Plainview and his son, HW, coax towns into letting them dig up their land in the search for oil, and when he is approached into a town with the potential of riches beyond measure, he is met with the bizarre and erratic Eli Sunday (Paul Dano), a preacher who ends up being at egotistical loggerheads with Plainview about his faith and his intentions with the town.

After a tragic accident, Plainviews behaviour drastically changes and ulterior motive soon come to light, wanting to have so much money that he would no longer have to know people. The addition of his half-brother perhaps shows a more humanly side to him, but he seems determined and forthright to get what he wants, eventually falling into obsessive and alcohol-fuelled madness.

An epic tale which is never without its drama, There Will Be Blood never fails to impress in its acting, writing and visual landscapes of beauty, filming in the same place as No Country for Old Men, the similarities in film style.

But of course it is the thrilling characters that truly make this film what it is, Plainview has flashes of Citizen Kane in his determination for everything, but ultimately loneliness at what he has become.

The film has styles of long scenes and plenty of dialogue, but what truly needs to be seen is the characters who bring these scenes to life, the ambition of Paul Thomas Anderson could indeed have been a hit or miss but what he has created is something unique.

The often debated ending has been the subject of many talks, particularly peoples distaste for it, but as the film goes on its difficult to imagine another finish, other than the madness within.

A truly remarkable film that never ceases to amaze in its character development, expert writing and ambitious reach that could very well be the best film in the last fifteen years. Taking it from its remarkable perch could indeed be a difficult thing.